Mulgore Menace
by Wynni
Summary: Don't you love it when you can solve two problems with one cave in? So does this Tauren Shaman. Pre Cata tale of Hijinks on the Golden plains of Mulgore.
1. Chapter 1

Mulgore Menace

So there I was, on the Golden Plains, all of Mulgore's Grace and Beauty there for my enjoyment, when suddenly .. . ..a shriek of pure terror rent the air. Naturally, I went to inspect, and found a tiny little gnome up a tree, with a kodo beneath, polishing his horns on the bole. I couldn't help it, I rolled with laughter.

"Would you be so good as to draw that wretched beast away, so that I might descend? This is no way to treat such an important warlock as myself."

"And were you a competent warlock, you'd know this beast meant you no harm, and would be about your business."

There we stood, in the late afternoon sun of a Beautiful Golden Plains day, in a haze of mutual unimpressed. The Gnome did not appear to be impressed with my logic, and I clearly was not impressed with his consequence. We waited for the kodo to amble off.

The gnome was so intent on the kodo's retreating form that he startled badly when I finally spoke again. "Now, unless you are going to admit being afraid of me; it appears safe to come down." The warlock nearly lost his perch at my voice.

I laughed. His already red face became redder, and his discomfort only made his dismount that more difficult. I laughed harder. The final disgrace occurred: he fell out of the tree onto his rear. I rolled with laughter.

"I am a warlock of consequence, I am afraid of nothing! I wield powers of which you only can dream!" He was holding so much power, his beady little eyes shone like lamps.

One of the first lessons a spell caster learns: never hold power while angry. My laughter dried like a squall in Durotar. My home was precious to me, and this little runt was threatening the very existence of everything within twenty leagues-including Thunderbluff.

"You do realize holding that much power when your emotions are out of check is a very dangerous game to play?" Foolish shaman! Reason will not work on this creature, think!

"Games! I play no games! Now you see me as powerful and dangerous, where before I was just a joke. Could it be that you are learning respect at last?"

"I have always respected the damage power can cause, especially uncontrolled power." Careful shaman, this gnome is not playing with a full deck, do not tip him over here where there is too much at stake. Where though? Ahhhh, two problems with one exploding gnome, now that sounds wonderful. How to lure him there?

"Bah! I easily control more power in my sleep than you ever will! I'll show you! A contest! You will contest with me shaman, in who can summon and control the most power!" Blessed Earth Mother, he's doing the hard part for me!

"I am not as confident as you gnome, I would rather try this somewhere I know I will do no harm, and I do not think there is sufficient life here for you to draw on, to truly impress me, correct?" Thankfully, all the herds had moved on to the waterholes, so the plains did look barren from here.

"Fine, I issued the challenge, you make pick the place." The gnome still hadn't relinquished his hold on magical energies, and his eyes were glowing fiercer than ever. Could I get him there in time?

"The Dwarven mine is chock full of robust dwarves, and the caves will keep a reign on the energies should they escape; there will suffice." Oh, could we get there in time?

"Well shaman, we are here, now show me what you can do." I am still amazed the dwarves permitted us entrance, since the last time I was here I culled their numbers. But then, none of these saw me do that. Since more diggers winked at me than I cared to count on our entry, perhaps they wanted the little rudity to get his comeuppance as well.

"I have never played this game, and do not know what to do. Please, show me what is expected?" Stroke the ego to its doom, stroke the ego to its doom . . . .

"Watch then, shaman, and learn what true power is!" The gnome was already so lit, he looked more like a foresaken than a living being. One thing I knew and was counting on: Warlock's power draws on life, including that of its caster. So all I had to do was wait . . .

The rocks beneath his feet began to melt. His skin shriveled and cracked. His eyes were nigh on incandescent with power, and still he called upon more. When his knees buckled, and his head bent to the point it touched the melted stones, I struck.

A lightening bolt quickly followed by an earthshock disintegrated his body, and pushed the energies he summoned into the very bedrock of the mines.  
I could feel the tremors start as I called up ethereal power to whisk me home. I will not be surprised to learn there is one less mine in Mulgore tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

Late one winter night, as I was out enjoying the crystal clear stars of Mulgore, I spotted a Night elf trying to hide in the shadows of a pine. His chosen task had been made difficult by the wolf chewing on his ankles.

Never had a fight for life been more comical. I do believe if I had let it continue, the Elf would have allowed the wolf to consume him in silence. A simple earth shock convinced the wolf to hunt elsewhere for a chew toy. The elf tried to regain his hauter, but he gave it up when I could no longer hide my mirth. The elf actually laughed at himself; perhaps I could deal with this one.

"Now, what brings an elf to Mulgore?" I leaned up against the tree the elf had tried to hide behind. My ribs were hurting from the laughter.

"A dastardly gnome. He's a warlock of some talent, and he has committed no few crimes to answer for back in Darnassus."

"This gnome you seek, was he balding, bearded, and overly fond of yellow?"

"You have seen him? Where is he now?" The elf's long ears perked up, and again I was inclined to laugh, but I supressed it with great difficulty. His manner was quite like that of a youngling promised treats.

"Easy now,I can promise you he will go nowhere anytime soon."

"How so?"

"He's quite dead."

"What? Impossible! He was nigh invincible! Who killed him? Is there proof?" The elf shook his head. "It sounds as if someone is trying to make a name for himself, without having to work for it. Who claims to have killed him?"

"This tiny,pompous, yellow clad gnome was chased up a tree by a kodo. I helped him down, laughed at his ridiculous state, and was then challenged to a duel. I tricked him into dueling in an unwanted dwarven mine. I allowed him to draw all the power he could muster, and then hit him with an earthshock. The entire mine fell in on his head."

I watched the incredulity crawl across his face before understanding settled in for good. It was quite amusing to watch. "I can easily show you the place where it happened. You may still be able to sense the energies unleashed there. I am presuming, since you are wearing so much green and yellow, you are with the Cenarion Circle?"

"Yes, I am with the Circle. Please,show me this sight." The elf followed me in a daze. He kept giving me furtive glances, as though he was expecting me to grow another pair of horns, or something equally ridiculous. It was all I could do not to turn around and shout "Boo!" right in his face. Of course, if I had, he would have probably become unbearable.

"This rubble used to be a mine?" There was little left of what it used to be, but there was enough left to show it wasn't always a pile of jumbled boulders. Picks with rotten handles and rusted blades were still strewn everwhere. Two dwarven mining drones were visible, growing prodigious amounts of weeds now.

"Do you believe me yet, or must I find a way to unearth the remains for your perusal?" My patience with this elf's suspicious nature was wearing thin. It was almost as if he did not want to believe the gnome dead.

Hmmm. Having already seen the duplicity capable even amongst those considered trustworthy, (Neeru Fireblade what?). Perhaps it was time to move more cautiously about this character, and see if his story were true.  
Casting a whisper upon the wind to my Cenarion contact, I waited impatiently to find out who this night elf truly was. It was not long in coming, but it felt as if I had waited ages. My friend here had been cast out three moons ago. It seemed he had developed a fondness for the dark practices the deceased gnome espoused. This night elf was truly an unwanted guest. Time to deal with him, in a subtle manner.

Casting about until I sensed a weak spot in the rubble, I called the night elf over. "This is as close as we can get to the actual spot."

"Are you quite sure? It isn't close enough to sense his energies, or remains."

"If you must get closer, dig."

As the night elf called up energies to blast the earth out of his way, I felt the telltale rattlings of a further cave in coming. I added my own little "umph" to the cave in, and quickly astralled out.

Hmmm, that mine has become handier than I ever thought it might be. . .


End file.
